Anglican Daily Fountain 26th December 2023 (Devotional Today)
Welcome to Today’s Daily Fountain Devotional of the Anglican Church of Nigeria. Daily Fountain is a daily reading devotional for all Anglicans and Non-Anglicans to read, study, share and discuss the Word of God on a daily basis.
TOPIC: COURAGE TO TESTIFY ABOUT CHRIST
TEXT: Acts 7: 54-60(KJV)
7:54. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
7:55. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
7:56. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
7:57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
7:58. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
7:59. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
7:60. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Anglican Daily Fountain 26th December 2023 STUDY:
Stephen was selected as a deacon together with others, to serve meals. He was described as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit”(Acts 6:5). In our passage today, he is still “full of the Holy Spirit” (v.55). Through the influence of the Holy Spirit, Stephen found his true calling as he was faithfully and humbly serving and distributing food within the Christian community. His humble service soon became a powerful ministry.
When the Spirit of God is at work in your life, it will not matter where you are; the ministry of the gospel can still flourish through you. Though Deacon Stephen suffered, and died for his faith and witness, his death created ripple effects to the advantage of the gospel. Shortly after Stephen was killed, persecutions broke out which scattered the early
Christians in many directions, but this also worked to the advantage of the gospel (Acts 8:4). Shortly after (and also connected to Stephen’s death), Saul found himself on the road to Damascus where he encountered Jesus, and Christianity never remained the same after that. The sufferings of God’s saints never go in vain! Whatever you go through in life under the power of the Holy Spirit, God is able to turn it to the advantage of His kingdom. Trust in the Lord in all circumstances and be courageous!
PRAYER: Holy Spirit, empower me to bear witness for Christ courageously.
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